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Good stuff. Also, HN is a great source of clients, but you have to be willing to advertise yourself correctly. Many freelancers here write me-too ads that fail

Good stuff. Also, HN is a great source of clients, but you have to be willing to advertise yourself correctly. Many freelancers here write me-too ads that fail to get them noticed. I do attention grabbing ads and them alone have made my practice grow about 500%.

stevenklein 14y ago
I would be interested in reading a blog post on what things work and what don't if you have the time to write it.
- orangethirty 14y ago
  Well, to start you can do the following: 1. Search my comment history. You will see all of the ads I've posted. From the ultra conservative to the crazy "code with me maybe" fiasco that got me more hate mail than Hitler, but also got me a lot of work (a lot). I'm not afraid of being different and of standing out. Though this requires a flame suit. 2. Talk about what potential clients want to read about. I always talk about how my focus is on shipping. It really is. I dont stop working until the damn thing is done and out the door. Turns out, that is not very common with programmers these days. They are too busy dreaming of perfect code and arguing with each other about how Go deals with errors. Like I said, talk about what they want to read about (most of them just want to make sure you can and will deliver). 3.Do write a good headline. My best one so far reads "I ship software." Simple. To the point. And will make them read the rest of the ad. 4. Talk rates right there in the ad. Disqualify people right from the start. You dont want to waste time with people looking to under pay you. Plus you will chase away any dreamer who will gladly give you 5% of his made up company in exchange of "just some code." The higher the rates, the less shit you have to deal with. Honestly. I currently charge $100/hour with a minimum of one week of work. Thats $4000 a week if you want to hire me. But you do get someone who delivers. I have no problem getting paid that amount. 5. Make yourself available. Skype, email, phone. Just answer and take time to talk with clients. Let them know you will listen right there on the ad, and then follow through by listening. 6. Offer them a free 30 minute consultation. This helps both sides because it will give you a good chance to feel the client out, and same for them. Chemistry is very important when doing consulting and a free consultation is a great tool to use for that. Good luck, and get in touch with me through email (in profile) we can always bounce ideas off each other.
  - 31reasons 14y ago
    Sorry for the naive question but how do you advertise on HN ? is it through your own blog posts ?
    - orangethirty 14y ago
      The monthly freelancer post and with blog posts. Though I have enough work now to not have the need of blogging. It works, though.
  - luke_s 14y ago
    Do you have any other sources of clients apart from HN? What percentage of work comes via HN vs Other sources? Also, I took a quick look through your comment history. Perhaps you are being to subtle for me, or perhaps you just post to many comments, but I don't see to many ads for your services there
    - luckystrike 14y ago
      Since I am also looking around for (more) clients these days, I checked out orangethirty's comment history. I guess by ads he meant these posts on the monthly 'Seeking Freelancer' threads: http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=4463748 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=4463748 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=4323813 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=4323813 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=4184829 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=4184829
      - Jd 14y ago
        Here are my take aways: (1) Say that you can do everything (2) Be cheap (he starts at $200/day) (3) Offer something for free (4) Talk about "shipping" a lot I'm not sure I would want to attract the sort of clients he gets.
        orangethirty 14y ago
        :) 1. I can't do everything. But I can deliver 99% of the work needed out there. 2. I started out cheap. Current rates are at $100/hour with a set minimum. 3. Offer them a chance to get to know you for free. 4. Talk about what they want to hear. I'm not sure I would want to attract the sort of clients he gets. You mean you don't want to work with great people? People like Mark, who is focusing on disrupting the online payment industry. Or maybe even Robert, who is getting amazing growth through a simple Facebook statregy. I mean, of course I want to work with them. They are just amazing. Maybe you just want to sit in your office all day, writing yet another interface class. Not me. I want to be where the action is.

stevenklein 14y ago

I would be interested in reading a blog post on what things work and what don't if you have the time to write it.

orangethirty 14y ago
Well, to start you can do the following: 1. Search my comment history. You will see all of the ads I've posted. From the ultra conservative to the crazy "code with me maybe" fiasco that got me more hate mail than Hitler, but also got me a lot of work (a lot). I'm not afraid of being different and of standing out. Though this requires a flame suit. 2. Talk about what potential clients want to read about. I always talk about how my focus is on shipping. It really is. I dont stop working until the damn thing is done and out the door. Turns out, that is not very common with programmers these days. They are too busy dreaming of perfect code and arguing with each other about how Go deals with errors. Like I said, talk about what they want to read about (most of them just want to make sure you can and will deliver). 3.Do write a good headline. My best one so far reads "I ship software." Simple. To the point. And will make them read the rest of the ad. 4. Talk rates right there in the ad. Disqualify people right from the start. You dont want to waste time with people looking to under pay you. Plus you will chase away any dreamer who will gladly give you 5% of his made up company in exchange of "just some code." The higher the rates, the less shit you have to deal with. Honestly. I currently charge $100/hour with a minimum of one week of work. Thats $4000 a week if you want to hire me. But you do get someone who delivers. I have no problem getting paid that amount. 5. Make yourself available. Skype, email, phone. Just answer and take time to talk with clients. Let them know you will listen right there on the ad, and then follow through by listening. 6. Offer them a free 30 minute consultation. This helps both sides because it will give you a good chance to feel the client out, and same for them. Chemistry is very important when doing consulting and a free consultation is a great tool to use for that. Good luck, and get in touch with me through email (in profile) we can always bounce ideas off each other.
- 31reasons 14y ago
  Sorry for the naive question but how do you advertise on HN ? is it through your own blog posts ?
  - orangethirty 14y ago
    The monthly freelancer post and with blog posts. Though I have enough work now to not have the need of blogging. It works, though.
- luke_s 14y ago
  Do you have any other sources of clients apart from HN? What percentage of work comes via HN vs Other sources? Also, I took a quick look through your comment history. Perhaps you are being to subtle for me, or perhaps you just post to many comments, but I don't see to many ads for your services there
  - luckystrike 14y ago
    Since I am also looking around for (more) clients these days, I checked out orangethirty's comment history. I guess by ads he meant these posts on the monthly 'Seeking Freelancer' threads: http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=4463748 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=4463748 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=4323813 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=4323813 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=4184829 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=4184829
    - Jd 14y ago
      Here are my take aways: (1) Say that you can do everything (2) Be cheap (he starts at $200/day) (3) Offer something for free (4) Talk about "shipping" a lot I'm not sure I would want to attract the sort of clients he gets.
      - orangethirty 14y ago
        :) 1. I can't do everything. But I can deliver 99% of the work needed out there. 2. I started out cheap. Current rates are at $100/hour with a set minimum. 3. Offer them a chance to get to know you for free. 4. Talk about what they want to hear. I'm not sure I would want to attract the sort of clients he gets. You mean you don't want to work with great people? People like Mark, who is focusing on disrupting the online payment industry. Or maybe even Robert, who is getting amazing growth through a simple Facebook statregy. I mean, of course I want to work with them. They are just amazing. Maybe you just want to sit in your office all day, writing yet another interface class. Not me. I want to be where the action is.